Oil well pump



' May 13, 1937. w. F. McMAHON 2,080,624

OIL WELL PUMP Filed Jan. 20, 1936 2 SheetsSheet l INVENTOR Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to oil well pumps and the like apparatus adapted to entrain fluid from bored holes in the earth.

An object (is to provide an oil well pump and/or apparatus to entrain fluid from a bored hole or holes in the earth in an eflicient manner with one split Venturi tube concentrically arranged in the oil well pump. I

A further object is to provide an apparatus, for entraining fluid from a bored hole in the earth, which will not sand-up or gas lock.

Another object is to provide a rodless oil well pump formed of two tubes and having no moving parts in the well when operating.

An object is to provide an apparatus using a circulating liquid as a motive medium to entrain fluid from deposits in the earth and comprising means for reversing the direction of flow ofthe said circulating liquid.

A further object is to provide an eflicient means for removing and replacing the only parts subject to wear in the' Well.

Another object is to provide a pump operated by a circulating liquid passing through a single coupled split Venturi tube.

A main object is to provide an eiiicient oil well being more clearly shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides and consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and illustrated and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various phanges in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departure fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invenion.

Similar characters of reference denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the accompanying'drawings forming a part of this specification and upon which;

. Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation through'the oil well pump, .showing the complete unit in an assembled construction.

. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the pump body at 2-2 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the pump body at 3-3 of Fig. 4.

through the pump body, showing in particular the macaroni tubing being raised off its seat in pumping apparatus, the complete unit-of same Fig. '4 a. longitudinal sectional elevation.

the pump body and carrying with it the split Venturi tube.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the coupling that connects the two truncated cone portions of the Venturi tube at 5-5 of Fig. 4. 5

Fig. 6 is a sectional longitudinal elevation through the pump body, showing in particular the macaroni tubing on its seat in position for operation. This is a drawing on larger scale from that shown in Fig. 1. 10

Referring in detail to the characters of reference marked upon the drawings, i represents the oil well which is a bored hole in the earth 2. extending from the surface of the earth 3 to the oil deposits 4 contained in the earth.

After the oil deposits 4 are penetrated, the gas pressure in the earth raises a column of petroleum to a height 5 in the oil'well I. It is into this column of petroleum I lower my wall portion of my pumping apparatus. A tube or casing 6 is common practice for use in preventing the earth from caving in the well i. This tubing 6 is installed after the hole I is bored. The lower end portion of the tubing 6 is perforated to admit petroleum into same from the oil deposits. The

upper end portion 1 of the tubing 6 is sealed off by a so-called casing head 8. The portion of my pumping apparatus in the hole I is secured to this casing head 8 and this portion comprises tubing 9, macaroni tubing I0 and pump body H. 0

My pumping cycle of operation is due to a continuous circulating movement of a liquid used as a motive medium and flowing through the tubing 5, macaroni tubing l0 and pump body II, which circulating movement is induced by a continuous delivery pump II. In reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings this said circulating movement is thus described. The pump l2, which is driven by energy derived from some external source, draws liquid from tanks I3 and i4 through pipe I 5 and discharges the said liquid through pipe or tubing "Ito and through the coupled split Venturi tube 16 into the chamber ll of the pump body ll.

From chamber I! the flow of liquid is reversed one hundred eighty degrees and flows upward through the cored passageways N3, of pump body ll, hence through the annular passageway I9 formed by the outsidediameter of tubing Ill and the inside diameter of tubing 9, and then through 5 casing head 8 to pipe 20 from which it is discharged into tank Hi.

When the liquid builds up in tank I I to the level of pipe 2| it starts to fill the tank I3, from said tank l3 the liquid is drawn into pipe I5 hence into the pump l2 where it is again or concase of the fluid from theoll deposit 4 containing while the valves 21 and 28 in tinuously discharged into pipe or tubing I. thus completing the circulating movement.

Dining the operation of the pumping apparatus, the tanks I3 and I4 are fllled with liquid and as the volume of liquid or petroleurm from the oil deposits 4 exceeds the necessary volume oi. liquid required to operate the said pumping apparatus, the overflow or surplus volume is led\ cated cones "and 38.

oil tank l4 through pipe/22. Prom pipe 22 the petroleum is led to some gas separator or storage tank not illustrated. As a gas'separator and/or storage tank is well known further detail description of same is not thought necessary.

when the pumping apparatus is being oper-' ated by flowing the liquid, used as e motive medium, as above described, the valves 23 and 24 in pipe lines 25 and 26 respectively are closed pipe lines l8 and "respectively remain open.

To reverse the flow of liquid through my pumping apparatus from that direction of flow; above mentioned, I close valves 21 and 28 and open valves 28 and 24 and the pump i2 then discharges the liquid through pipe 26 into pipe 28 hence into annular pasageway is through pump body ll into chamber "therein. 7

Now the direction o'i'flowin said chamber I1 is reversed one hundred eighty degrees and is dischargectinto tubing ill wherein it flows upward to pipe 25. From pipe 25 the flogging liquid is discharged into tanks l4 a d it, a by-pass pipe 2| connecting the two said ta ks i4 and I 8-. Thus it is shown that I am able to reverse the flow ot the'circulating liquid, discharged under pres-' sure from the pump l2, at any time without dismantling any part of my pumping apparatus.

This all tends to an, eflicient method oi operation and eliminates the necessity of pulling the string of macaroni tubing ill should oversized' material enter the small oriflces in the Venturi tube l8. In other words, I can clean out my pumping apparatus at any time without using other pipes or tubing in the well, eliminating thereby the well knownsanding up grief encountered with other pumping apparatus.

The maintenance costs ofvthis combination are.

further benefited by the fact that I can withdraw and/or replace the only part in the oil well subject to any wear without having to withdraw thetubingtorthebumpbody ii andthispart is the Venturi tube l8. It may be well to note at this time that due to the coupling 82 I have now a Venturi tube I 8 and not a split Venturi tube formed of two truncated cones.

The Venturi tube I8 is directlysecured macaroni tubing." by collar II and the trimcated cones 28 and 88 are coupled-together by a slotted'coupling 32 forming thereby a single Venturi tube It. This slotted coupling 32" has. threaded connection 38 with truncated'cone 2O and on the oppos te end portion me also to permit the fluid irom' the a threaded connection with truncated cone 88. This arrangement .permits longitudinal illustment of the'longitudinal' the cones 28 and.

p g 42 contains oil deposit to enter into the area 88 between thektwo cones}! and 88 hence into the split Venturi tube l8 and the pumping system. The couplins i so that an ample clear unobstructed e 81 is provided for the fluid from the oil det to enter into the split Venturi tube It. This clear passageway 81 eliminates clogs nz in the tothe relationship sand-and the like. Heretofore the entrance to the venturi had a flared portion through which fluid from the: oil deposits had to pass. It'is well known that such a flared projection caused the venturi and nozzle to clog. :It should be carefully noted 'that the adjacent portions 42 and 48 have nozzle like projections, formed on the trun- A packer 88 of babbitt or the like is incorporated in the truncated cone 28 and a like packer ,28 is incorporated in the opposite truncated cone 88. Both said packers 88 and I8, which'may be made of the same material and part of the cones 28 and 28, are formed to suit seats 40 and 4| inthepump body I. The said seats 48 and 41 are located on either side of'the-entrance chamber 43 in pump body II. This arrangement permitsthe split Venturi tube It to straddle thechamber '48 so that the entrance thereto 88 is centrally located in the chamber 48. The weight of the macaroni tubing I8 is utilized to keep the split Venturi tub'e l8 onto the seats 48 and 4| in the pump body Ii. Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings clearly shows the split Venturi tube l8 seated in the pump'body il while Figure 4 of the .same drawings shows the split Venturi tube It being withdrawn oil the seats 48 and 4| when the tubing I8 is being pulled.

Packers 28 and 88 are'adapted to form two continuous columns of fluid when seated in the body ll relative to casing 8 and tubing l8. A conventional flap valve 44, the construction of, which is well known, is merely used to retain the col-' umn oi fluid in-the pump body when the pumping apparatus is not in operation. When the liquidis being circulate in the pumping appa-.

ity through the said oriflces that will equal a totalbydrostatic head equal to'the h'ead caused by the pressure oi! the pump l2 plus the static head oi the column of liquidon the upstream side ot the split ,Venturi tube l8; This said velocity of circula locity; .of liquid on thedownstream side of the, split Venturi tube l8 causes fluid to be entrained into the volume 0! circulating "liquid and carried through the pumping apparatus up into tanks I4 and/or l8. As the circulating liquid gains in volume this gain in volume is carried irom tank l4 through pipe 22 hence into a storage the like. The fluidirom the deposit is entralned into the pumping apparatus"thro h passageway is intochamber oi'body n he intothesplit 'Yenturi tube It by 'way oi'area 8 i The novel arrangement of tanks l8 and i4 forming a part of this pumping apparatus is provided to permit of a substantially clear liquid being drawn into pump l2 at all times, any sand or the like in the fluid entrained troinhthfi tbeingtrappedintanklw e q 322mg mm tank I: through p1 3 will be clear. a vent '41 is provided. to vent tank I: when the p p i2 isoperating. A pressure reliet valve 48 is provided on the discharge pipe from pump I2 in the event the system should become temporarily clogged. A pressure gauge 49 is provided to show the pressure of liquid in pipe In. If desired gas may be withdrawn from casing 6 through pipe 50. A stufling box seals ofi tubing 9 relative to tubing l0. Conventional typeof. slips 52 are provided to sustain any desired weight of the tubing l0 onto the casing head 8 which is supported on the surface of the earth 3.

At this time it may be well to mention that 1 while I have called the Venturi tube IS a split Venturi tube it is obvious that I have a Venturi tube formed of the coupling 32 and truncated cones 29 and 30, and that this Venturi tube I 6 may be adjusted without removing the tubing 9 and pump body l I from the oil well. Also that said Venturi tube is directly connected to the macaroni tubing l0 and when the tubing i0 is withdrawn from the well the complete Venturi tube 16 is withdrawn.

I am-aware that various piping arrangements have been devised for use on the surface of the earth for conveying liquids adapted for use as a motive medium and I do not desire to claim such pipingarrangements as my improvement. My improvement resides in part in the pumping apparatus used in the oil well consisting mainly of the mechanical pump on the surface of the earth in direct relationship with a single split Venturi tube directly connected to a macaroni tubing so' that said split Venturi tube can be withdrawn from the oil well without disturbing the body of the pumping apparatus. 1 also claim a split Venturi tube employing the Venturi tube principle and not an injector or ejector principle in my mode of operation. The construction of a cou pling 32 used to couple the split portions 29 and 30 of the Venturi tube it together, and a passageway 31, contained in said coupling 32 for fluid from the oil deposit to pass to the Venturi tube, are also new and novel. In my copending application No. 35,797 to withdraw the Venturi tube therein the pump body I3must be also withdrawn whereas in this improvement the pump body is not withdrawn.

As operating costs and maintenance costs make up the total cost of raising a barrel of petroleum from the earth over a period of time, it is obvious that the combined elements forming my oil well pump or apparatus described form a complete unit the use of which results in an economical and efficient apparatus for and/or method of raising a. barrel of petroleum from deposits in the earth.

- What I claim is:

1. In an oil well pumping apparatus for entraining petroleum from deposits in the earth, a pump body having a valved inlet communication with the oil deposit, two concentric tubular conduits leading from the surface of the earth to the deposit and connected together in said pump.

body to form a U tube construction, said conduits being adapted to hold a liquid forming a. continuous u shaped column of liquid leading from the surface of the earth, a mechanical pump operated by energyderived from some external source and connected with one of the conduits to imparta continuous circulating movement to the said colum of liquid, said pump body-comprising a Venturi tube secured to and in central alignment with the inner of the said conduits and removably seated in seats in said pump body and cooperating with the circulating movement o1 the columnbf liquid to entrain pertoleum from the oil deposit, a coupling formed part of said Venturi tube and comprising a communication with the said valved inlet from the oil deposit to the entrance to the Venturi tube, the, other conduit connected to the said pump body,

said seats in the pump body adapted to permit the withdrawal of the Venturi tube from the oil well without removing the other conduit or said pump body.

2. In an oil well pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by a circulating liquid for entraining formed by the saidpacker arid the outer tube, said tubes extending from the surface of the earth into the deposits in the earth, a mechanical means connected to the inner tube for moving the circulating liquid, a Venturi tube connected to the inner tube and adapted to receive the full volume of the circulating liquid moved by the ,said mechanical means therethrough, a coupling formed part of said Venturi tubepin said coupling an inlet passageway communicating with said valved inlet in said body and providing communication from the oil deposit to the Venturi tube, said Venturi tube adapted o cooperate with the flow of the'circulating liqui to entrain fluid from the oil deposit and removably seated in tapered seats in said body, said remov bly seated means adapted to permit the withdra al of the Venturi tube without having to remove the outer tube or said body from the oil well.

-3. In an oil well pumping apparatus adapted to be operated bya circulating liquid,said circulating liquid moved from the surface of the earth into the oil well and back to the surface of the earth continuously to raise fluid from deposits in the earth, said apparatus comprising a body having an entrance communication with the oil deposits and a Venturi tubecomprising a coupling means containing an entrance thereto from the said ento the said Venturi tube, a mechanical pump for imparting a pressure to the circulating liquid to raise fluid from the deposits in cooperation with the said Venturi'tube', said tapered seats adapted to permit the withdrawal of the Venturi tube together with the inner,=tube without removing the said body from the oil well.

4. In an oil well containing petroleum deposits;

a pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by a circulating liquid and comprising liquid moved by a pressure pump and comprising a continuous U tube circulating'passageway, a pump body having a valved inlet communication with the petroleum deposits and a Venturi tube formed of two truncated cones coupled together by a coupling means mounted on the adjacent lip portions of the two truncated cones, said Venturi tube located in said passageway and containing an inlet passageway thereto from the said valved inlet communication through the said coupling means, said pressure pump deriving its power from some external source and adapted to create a pressure sageway body,

4 upon a column of liquid in said circulating pasand'impart a circulating movement to said liquid and to move said liquid through said Venturi tube, a packer formed partof the said Venturi tube and adapted to make a seal with the said pump body by means of tapered seats and form the continuous U tube circulating passageway, said tapered seats adapted to permit the withdrawing of the Venturi tube from the oil well without having to withdraw the pump body.

5. man oil well pumping apparatus tlapted to be operated by a reciprocating cycle of a continuous circulated liquid for raising fluid from petroleum deposits in the earth, a pump body, concentric tubes comprising an outer tube and an be operated by a circulating liquid used as a moinner tube and connected together by said pump said irmer tube and formed a part thereof and "sealed by the weight of said inner tube with the pump body, an inlet passageway from the petrbleum deposits to the Venturl tube through the side wall or the pump body; a check valve in said inlet .passageway,;a seat in the pump body for sealing the Venturi tube thereto, the said inner tube adapted for lowering the Venturi tube onto said seat without moving the said outer tube or pump 'body, an enclosed chamber below said seat in the pump body, means for circulating a liquid through the central pasageway in said Venturi tube and said enclosed chamber in said pump body and creating vacuum in the said inlet passageway to the pump body.

6. In an oil well pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by 'a reciprocating cycle of a continuous circulated liquid for raising fluid from petroleum deposits in the earth, a pump body, concen- 'tric tubes comprising an outer tube and an inner out the necessity of moving the a Venturi tube directly connected with the tube joined together by said pump body and a packer seal with the said pump body and the said inner tube, amnturi tube directly'connected with the said inner tube and formed a part thereof, an inlet pasageway the Venturi tube through the pump body, a me- "chanical pump for circulating a continuous volume of liquid through the Venturi tube, pump body and concentric tubes and creating vacuum in the said inlet passageway to raise fluid from the petroleum deposits, said inner tube adapted to permit the withdrawal'of the Venturi tube withsaid outer tube orpump body. v

'7. In an oil well pumping apparatus adapted to tive medium to entrain fluid from oil deposits in the earth and comprising two conduits forming a U tube, a body located in the oil well, a Venturi tube constructed to be removably seated in the said body in the oil well, said Venturi tube formed mounted on and/or formed part oi said Venturi tube, an entrance passageway to-the Venturi tube from the oil deposits through said means, said removable seated structure adapted for withdrawing the Venturi tube from the oil well without having to withdraw the said body.

2 WILLIAM FREDERICK McMAHON.

from the petroleum deposits to. 

